Life saving appliance with inflatable bag



March 16, 1965 G. H. ELDER, JR 3,173,162

LIFE SAVING APPLIANCE WITH INFLATABLE BAG Filed April 15, 1965 George H. Elder. Jr. 1N VENTOR.

S C E i; 4o 80 BY a.

United States Patent 3,173,162 LIFE SAVING APPLIANCE WITH IYFLATABLE BAG George H. Elder, J12, Elder Road, Hydes, Md. Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 273,001 11 Claims. (Cl. 9-316) This invention relates to life preservers such as are structurally designed and functionally adapted to be worn on the person, which are relatively small in size, compact and convenient, normally inactive but capable of coming into play if and when an emergency is encountered, and

which guard against and reliably minimize the likelihood of the wearer drowning.

Prevention of the loss of life by drowning continues to pose a widespread problem for life-saving services. Therefore, many and various styles and forms of lifepreservers have been devised with a view toward keeping the victim afloat in the water until a satisfactory rescue can be accomplished. The overall problem involves not only potential victims while bathing or swimming but any and all persons aboard ship, travelling by air, water skiing and participating in water sports. With the above in mind it is an objective in the instant matter reproduce and provide a life-saving appliance which is no larger than a pack of cigarettes, is mounted atop a wrist-encircling strap and is worn on the users wrist in the manner of a wrist-watch. Accordingly, the thus constructed device or appliance is readily accessible for an emergency but is out-of-the-way and, being compact and readied for use, does not interfere with or hinder the wearers normal actions.

It follows that the herein disclosed safety appliance lends itself for everyday use when and where needed.

To the ends desired, a number of featured improvements are here taken into account. One such improvement has to do with lightweight but durable components providing an appliance which is aptly reliable for expedient use and, weighing about (perhaps less) a pound or so is desirable from a standpoint of weight. For the user travelling for instance on a conveyance over a body of Water, the ap pliance can be carried for use in a coat pocket, handbag or the like.

Another improvement resides in providing a cartridge or cylinder which is charged with gas or airunder a predetermined safe-gauged pressure and to which a-coiled deflated bag has its intake mouth communicatively connected so that when the pressurized gas is released and fed into the bag the latter is unrolled, is inflated and then provides a horseshoe-shaped preserver or buoy for use.

A further improvement pertains to a cylinder'and bag combination wherein a restricted passage from the cylinder to the bag comes into play after a pointed firing pin on a normally inactive plunger punctures a normally intact valving diaphragm which controls the air (or gas) passage.

A still further improvement resides in the adoption and use of a hermetically sealed transparent enclosure which encases or houses the cylinder, bag, diaphragm and plunger assembly. This enclosure or housing comprises a transparent plastic (or equivalent) shell which is preferably in resemblance of a domical shield and which provides a vacuumized chamber and makes practical the utilization in said chamber of signalling means (chiefly visual in nature) which reveals when the device is faulty and should-not, under such circumstances, be used.

To the ends desired a suitable projectible and retractible pressure responsive bellows serves as a signalling device and is confined in the chamber and attached to an end wall of the plastic housing and has communication with'the atmosphere through an orifice in said end wall.

When the chamber of the housing (or dome) is properly 3,173,162 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 evacuated in the manner intended the bellows assumes its normal state or form between the plungers head and said end wall thus denoting an all is well condition. But when the area in the chamber under the dome is unintentionally at atmospheric pressure because of leakage the bellows contacts and then indicates a defective unit which should, of course, not be put into use.

Then, too, the invention features a feasible, simple, and practical operating device for the plunger, said device being preferably in the form of a lever which is pivoted atop one end portion of the dome or housing. The end of the lever at one end is formed with an appropriate fingergrip and equipped with a breakable retaining link. At the opposite end, the pivoted end, it is provided with a mechanical finger which projects through the orifice in the aforementioned end wall and into the cup-like or receiver portion of the accordion-type bellows where the tip is in readiness to trip the plunger by way of the bellows.

Briefly summarized the ready-to-use appliance or device comprises an inflatable bag which is so made that it may be coiled or rolled into compact form when stored in the protective chamber of the housing. When inflated it displaces the frangible detachable housing and assumes the aforementioned horseshoe-shaped form wherein it becomes a buoyant life preserver which can be placed across the chest and beneath the arms of the user or applied around the neck as a collar or around the waist or in any manner aptly used as a body floating buoy. Means 'is employed for storing pressurized air or gas and the mouth of the bag is cornmunicatively connected thereto by way of a restricted pressurized air dispensing passage normally closed by an imperforate but rupturable air valving diaphragm. A pointed or needle-like end on the stern of the plunger is opposed to but normally spaced 'away from the diaphragm and can be pushed through the diaphragm when the plunger head is properly pressed upon by the trip finger on the pivoted manually actuatable lever. The bellows-like means is situated between the end wall and head of the plunger and is attached to said end wall and confined in the vacuumized or evacuated chamber. Component parts and featured adaptations over and beyond those enumerated here will be revealed in the following specification considered in conjunction with the views of the drawing and the concluding claims.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully here- .and elevation and wherein all of the essential component parts are shown in normal ready-to-use relationship;

FIGURE 4 is a view showing the righthand end portion of the structure depicted in FIGURE 3 and, what is significant, showing how the lever has been tripped and how the trigger finger has come into play to exert end thrust pressure on the plunger whereupon the pointed tip of the plunger stem has punctured the diaphragm to release air from the cylinder into the inflatable bag;

FIGURE 5 is a view in section and elevation and similar to FIGURE 4 showing the component parts in normal interrelated positions and relationship but (compared with FIGS. 3 and 4) showing thevaccordion-type bellows in a retracted position with a space between the same and head of the plunger indicating leakage and, by way of the transparency of the dome or housing, denoting that the unit is perhaps faulty and not reliable for dependable use; and

FIGURE '6 is a detail section taken on the plane of the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 3 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

The charged or pressurized air or gas supplying cartridge or means comprises a lightweight cylinder 8 one end Wall 10 of which is provided with a screw-threaded filler neck 12 having a plug 14 therein and which provides means for charging the space of the cylnder with air or gas under pressure. The pressure in the cylinder is proportional to temperature and atmosphere and the cylinder should have sufiiicient pressure to operate below freezing. As temperature rises above 150 degrees Fahrenheit the pressurewould become extreme and a rupture would eventually occur as a result of abnormal temperature conditions and which would result in an explosion, perhaps attended by some danger. In respect to the criticality of temperature conditions this is an aspect of the concept which will be taken into account by the manufacturer. All necessary precautions will be considered and worked out effectually. Any appropriate device or tool (not shown) may be attached to the neck 12 for charging or loading the space of the cylinder with air or gas to the desired degree. The other end wall 16 has a central port or orifice 18 which is normally spanned by a puncturable diaphragm 20. At this point the cylinder head 22 is joined to the cylinder proper by a threaded connection as at 24. The component parts 16 and 22 serve to clamp the marginal edges of the diaphragm in place. There is also a safety discharge port at 26 and an interiorly disposed plug 28 which will be referred to later on. A restricted passage 30 in one side wall communicates at one end with the auxiliary chamber to the right of the diaphragm in FIG. 3. When the diaphragm has been punctured as shown in FIG. 4 the air discharges from the main chamber into the auxiliary chamber and then finds its way through the restricted passage and discharge ports 32 into the intake '34 of the neck 36 of the aforementioned coiled or rolled normally deflated bag 38. The neck 36 extends beyond the outstanding retaining bead 40 where it is secured in place by cord or the like 42. The head of the cylinder is provided with a reciprocable thrust responsive plunger 44 the stem 46 of which is slidingly mounted in a bearing provided therefor. The pointed shouldered inner end 48 projects into the auxiliary chamber Where it is in readiness to puncture and rupture the diaphragm 20. The enlarged head of the plunger is denoted at 50. This three-part assemblage, the compressed air cylinder 8, bag 38 and plunger are mounted on a breakable limb 52 of a frangible bracket 54 the outer limb of which 56 is secured by a screw or equivalent fastening 58 to the supporting surface 60 of a wrist encircling strap 62. The weakened joint between the limbs 52 and 56 is denoted at 64 (FIG. 3). This bracket-supported assembly is enclosed or housed within the chamber 66 of the transparent plastic dome-like shield or housing 68 (also referred to as adom'e). Manifestly this dome or housing is of sufiicient size to enclose the parts in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 and is characterized by a top wall 70,v side walls and end walls, one end wall being denoted at 72 and the other end wall at 74. These Walls are provided with an outstanding attaching flange 76 having a frangible joint at 78 (FIG. 3) and whose surface is sealed by adhesive media 80 to the surface 60. It will be noted that there is an opening or port 82 in the end wall 74 which serves to admit the trigger finger 84 of the L-shaped end portion 86 of a trippable manually actuatable and controllable lever 88. The righthand end portion 90 of the lever is pivoted at 92 between a pair of cars or lugs 94 on the convex surface of the housing. A socket 96 is provided in the median side to accommodate a coil spring 98 which tends, when the lever is free, to swing the lever from its normal ready-touse position (FIG. 2) to the firing position illustrated in FIG. 4. The end portion 100 to the left in FIG. 3 is provided with a notch or seat 102 to accommodate a cooperating portion of a safety link 104 which link is pivoted at 106 and which is in the normal set or ready-tofunction position in FIG. 3. By tripping the link 104, that is disengaging it from the end portion 100 of the lever 88 the spring 96 comes into play and lifts the lever slightly so that the user can place his finger underneath the tip 100 and thus swing the lever on its pivot 92 from the position illustrated in FIG. 3 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4. This step brings the trigger finger 84 into play; that is exerts end thrust pressure against the plunger head and operates the plunger to puncture the diaphragm and release air under pressure through the opening 18 where it is discharged through the auxiliary chamber and then into the restricted passage 30 and emitted by way of the port 32 into the mouth 36 of the bag 38 for uncoiling and inflating the bag. This lengthening and inflating of the bag is sutlicient to break the weakened joint 78 and to free the housing 68 so that it will not interfere with the dispensing of the thin horsehoe-shaped bag for use as a life preserver in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2.

Returning to the link 104 it is to be pointed out that it is within the purview of the invention (not shown) to employ a breakable cord which means that by exerting pressure on the tip 106 of the lever 88 the cord can be broken and the lever freed with the aid of the spring 36 and the trip finger on the lever thus brought into play to trigger the plunger and to cause the firing pin 48 to accomplish the desired diaphragm puncturing result.

It may be pointed out here that it was originally within the purview of the concept to dispense with the manually actuatable plunger triggering lever means and, instead, to have access to the plunger by simply exerting finger pressure on the shell and breaking it loose and then directly pressing the plunger. While this is thought to be within the scope of the invention it is to be explained that the lever control is thought to be more positive and reliable.

It is also within the purview of the invention to provide an anchoring lanyard or string and to attach it to the air cylinder and bag assembly and to the users belt so that the belt would thus be tethered by a captive line (not detailed) to the user whereby to make sure that the inflated bag would not get away from the user. Normally, however, the pressure of the bag being inflated is suflicient to break the housing loose and to provide the user with the horseshoe shaped life preserver with the cylinder and plunger and broken bracket still attached thereto. It is clear that all of the essential parts of the primary assembly are sealed in a vacuum. The safety plug 28 is a vacuum loss indicator and in case of undue or abnormal leakage by way of the passage 26 into the chamber 66 it will be evident that the bellows 106 will come into play. The flanged end of the bellows is sealed to the end wall in line with the aforementioned passage or aperture 82. This is an accordion-type bellows and the closed end is normally in contact with the plunger head as shown in the ready-to-function arrangement in FIG. 3. Also when the lever is operated and the device is triggered the bellows is distended to operate the plunger head. In case of leakage under the dome the bellows 106 then becomes a signal in that it is retracted to the position shown in FIG. 5 and the existing space between the bellows and the head of the plunger will show through the transparent housing indicating a defective unit.

With a view toward properly evaluating the merits of the over-all concept and to assist in comprehending the claims it is to be added here that, as suggested in FIG. 1, the invention for example the dome may be slightly larger than a package of cigarettes and thus used in the manner of a wrist watch. In order to assemble the item for re-use it would have to be returned to the manufacturer for repair and adjustment. With reference again to the vacuum chamber it is to be added that it protects the bag from damage that could, of course be caused by environmental conditions, insects, and inadvertent accidental mechanical rupture.

It is further to be pointed out that the buoy will automatically inflate when a predetermined water depth is reached because of the fact that the pressure on the bellows will increase approximately one pound per foot of water depth. This aspect of the invention could be predetermined and set to actuate at a depth of approximately twelve feet more or less. Although it is not shown it is within the purview of the invention to employ a dye marker which would take the form of a capsule and could also be placed under the dome and within the chamber and which would be such that it would dissolve on contact with the water. With reference again to the aforementioned safety plug (features 26 and 28) it is to be added that this safety plug is designed to blow-out when the cylinder pressure reaches a dangerous point due to high temperature (over 150 F.). Hence the plug would blow out and release the air or gas from the cylinder with the result that any slight leakage past the plug or from any other leakage source would result in the indication of a defective unit.

It is believed that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the Views of the accompanying drawing and with reference to the attending claims will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention, features and advantages and mode of using the same. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A readily applicable and removable life-saving appliance for use by persons participating in aquatic activities and sports, for passengers on boats, users of aircraft and wherever safeguards against drowning are regarded as advisable or necessary comprising: a normally deflated inflatable buoy compactly arranged, a compressed air containing cylinder having normally closed inactive valve means rendering the air in readiness for emergency use, said buoy having an intake end portion communicatively connected with an air discharge passage provided in said cylinder and thus readied for spontaneous inflation when the buoy is desired for life-preserving use, means for supporting and attaching said cylinder and buoy to a readily accessible part of the users body, and means for enclosing, protectively shielding and maintaining the cylinder and buoy intact and in readiness for operational use when an emergency arises, said last-named means being vacuum-sealed atop the supporting means and affording protection against the elements, corrosion, fungus, insects, puncture of the buoy and insuring long shelf-life, whereby to guard against malfunctioning when put to use.

2. The structure according to claim 1 and wherein said valve means comprises a normally intact pressure responsive rupturable diaphragm embodied in said cylinder, and a normally inactive plunger slidingly mounted and having a diaphragm puncturing point poised in readiness to puncture the diaphragm and release air from the cylinder into the intake of the buoy under predetermined operating conditions.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and manually actuatable mechanical means externally carried by said enclosing and shielding means and normally in an in- '6 active ready-to-function position and embodying a trigger, said trigger when intentionally moved to a predetermined release position serving to exert end thrust pressure upon the plunger in a manner to bring the plunger into play for piercing and puncturing the diaphragm and releasing the air into said passage.

4. In a life-saving appliance,-in combination, an inflatable elongated bag structurally designed and adapted when inflated to assume and maintain a given shape suitable for placement and use about a selected portion of the users body, a pressurized fluid cylinder provided at one end with a head embodying a normally intact but puncturable diaphragm, said cylinder being further provided with a fluid-discharge passage having an intake end communicatively cooperable With one side of said diaphragm, a plunger having a stem slidingly mounted in said cylinder head, said stem being provided at an inward end with a penetrating point normally spaced from but in readiness for puncturing said diaphragm and an outward end with an actuating head disposed on the exterior of the cylinder and spaced therefrom, said inflatable bag being normally deflated, coiled and having a mouth communicatively attached to said cylinder in a manner that the pressurized fluid dispensed from the cylinder when the diaphragm is ruptured is permitted to enter the mouth of the bag for inflating the same, a strap for attachment to the body of the user, and bracket means mounted on said strap, said bracket means having an end portion thereof connected to the head of the cylinder and also having a loadresponsive frangible portion whereby the cylinder and bag and the separable part of the fractured bracket may be separated from said strap.

5. The structure defined in claim 4 and in combination, a transparent evacuated shell constituting a housing and enclosing the bag, cylinder, plunger and bracket means and having a flanged portion vacuum sealed to said strap, said flanged portion having a weakened frangible joint to permit separation of the housing, bag, cylinder, plunger and bracket means from the strap when said bag is inflated.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 and in combination, a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said housing, one end of said lever being adapted to be grasped by the user for purposes of pivoting the lever from a normal to an operating position, the pivoted end portion of said lever having a trigger finger, a portion of said finger extending through an aperture provided therefor in an end wall of the housing and locating said finger in a position to engage the head of the plunger when the lever is moved on the pivot in a predetermined manner.

7. The structure defined in claim 6 and in combination, an accordion bellows mounted in the chamber of said housing and interposed between the apertured end wall and the head of said plunger, said bellows having a closed inner end opposed to the head of the plunger and an open outer end in communicative alignment with the opening in said end wall, said bellows having the function of a signal and when in a predetermined position serving to caution the user of the device that leakage of fluid may have occurred in the chamber and thus have rendered the overall appliance faulty.

8. A life-saving appliance of the class described comprising a strap attachable to a part of the users body, a transparent housing having a flanged marginal portion hermetically sealed atop a portion of said strap, said housing providing a chamber and said chamber being vacuumized, a normally deflated coiled bag in said chamber, a pressurized air cylinder also in said chamber and detachably bracketed on said strap for supplying air under pressure to said bag, said cylinder having trippable valving means which is normally intact but subject to operation and use at will.

9. A life-saving device comprising, in combination, a strap attachable to a part of the users body, a transparent housing having an open body provided with an outstand- "of said strap, the junctional portion of the side and end walls of said housing and flange embodying a pressureresponsive frangible joint whereby when necessary said housing can be freed and detached from said flange, said housing providing a chamber and said chamber being vacuumized, a bracket mounted on said strap, a pressurized air cylinder confined in said chamber and connected with said bracket, a median portion of said bracket being frangible and pressure-responsive and acting in conjunction with the frangible joint between said flange and the walls of said housing, said cylinder provided at one end with a normally intact but puncturable diaphragm and being further provided with a fluid discharge passage, a plunger having a stem slidingly mounted in said cylinder, said stem being provided with a penetrating point normally spaced from but in readiness to puncture said diaphragm, said stem being provided at an outer end with an actuating head, an inflatable bag normally defiated and coiled in readiness for use in said chamber and having a mouth communicatively attached to said cylinder, said passage being communicatively connected with said mouth for delivering air under pressure into and for inflating said bag, said bag when inflated serving to fracture the aforementioned frangible joint between the housing and flange, one end wall of said housing, the wall adjacent to the head of said plunger being provided with an aperture, and an accordion bellows mounted in the chamber and interposed between the apertured wall and head of said plunger, said bellows having a closed end opposed to and contacting the head of the plunger and 8 an openouter end in communicative alignment with the aperture in said end wall.

10. The structure defined in claim 9 and wherein said bellows functions as a signal and when in a predetermined retracted state serves to caution the user of the device that leakage of fluid may have occurred in the chamber and thus have rendered the overall appliance faulty.

11. The structure defined in claim 10 and in combination, a manually operable lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends atop said housing, said lever having an end adapted to be grasped by the user to pivot the lever from a normal to an operating position, the pivoted portion of said lever having a trigger finger, a portion of said finger extending through the aperture in said end wall and projecting into the receptacle portion of said bellows and being contactible with the closed end of the bellows in a manner to press the bellows against the plunger head to operate the plunger and to release the fluid from the cylinder into the passage for delivery into the mouth of said bag.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,320,111 5/43 Ware 9--3l6 X 2,324,744 7/43 Ward 9316 2,840,833 7/58 Fruendt 9---316 X 2,979,740 4/61 Walker 9316 3,032,788 5/62 Lowther 9-319 3,042,946 7/62 Davis 9316 3,070,818 1/63 Fairchild 9-316 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A READILY APPLICABLE AND REMOVABLE LIFE-SAVING APPLIANCE FOR USE BY PERSONS PARTICIPATING IN AQUATIC ACTIVITIES AND SPORTS, FOR PASSENGERS ON BOATS, USERS OF AIRCRAFT AND WHEREEVER SAFEGUARDS AGAINST DEOWNING ARE REGARDED AS ADVISABLE OR NECESSARY COMPRISING: A NORMALLY DEFLATED INFLATABLE BUOY COMPACTLY ARRANGED, A COMPRESSED AIR CONTAINING CYLINDER HAVING NORMALLY CLOSED INACTIVE VALVE MEANS RENDERING THE AIR IN READINESS FOR EMERGENCY USE, SAID BUOY HAVING AN INTAKE END PORTION COMMUNICATIVELY CONNECTED WITH AN AIR DISCHARGE PASSAGE PROVIDED IN SAID CYLINDER AND THUS READIED FOR SPONTANEOUS INFLATION WHEN THE BUOY IS DISIRED FOR LIFE-PRESERGVING USE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID ATTACHING SAID CYLINDER AND BUOY TO A READILY ACCESSIBLE PART OF THE USER''S BODY, AND MEANS FOR ENCLOSING, PROTECTIVELY SHIELDING AND MAINTAINING THE CYLINDER AND BUOY INTACT IN THE READINESS FOR OPERATIONAL USE WHEN AN EMERGENCY ARISES, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS BEING VACUUM-SEALED ATOP THE SUPPORTING MEANS AND AFFORDING PROTECTION AGAINST THE ELEMENTS, CORROSION, FUNGUS, INSECTS, PUNCTURE OF THE BUOY AND INSURING LONG SHELF-LIKE, WHEREBY TO GUARD AGAINST MALFUNCTIONING WHEN PUT TO USE. 